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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23190293">Love The Way You Pay Attention</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyborgSamurai/pseuds/CyborgSamurai'>CyborgSamurai</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Dork and The Asshole [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The 100 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:06:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,478</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23190293</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyborgSamurai/pseuds/CyborgSamurai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke and Lexa discuss their relationship and some of the reasons they love each other.</p><p>Inspired by the song: Everything by Ella Mai and John Legend. You don't have to know it to understand, but it's a good song</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clarke Griffin/Lexa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Dork and The Asshole [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1167329</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Love The Way You Pay Attention</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clarke and Lexa were on a date at the local ice cream shop called the Dropship when it happened. Clarke had finally gotten Lexa to try something other than vanilla or strawberry and was teasing her about being wrong about something finally. Then a girl walked up to their table and began talking.</p><p>“Lexa, Hey! Haven’t seen you in a while.”</p><p>Clarke could tell something was off by the way her girlfriend tensed up next to her in the booth.</p><p>“Oh, um, Lindsey. Hi,” she awkwardly said while scratching the back of her neck. Clarke raised her eyebrow but remained quiet. She wanted to see how this would turn out. She could already tell by how Lexa was acting that this was one of her flings. They have had run ins with Lexa’s hit and quits before.</p><p>“Awesome! So you do remember that I exist,” she teased. She placed her hand on top of Lexa’s and smiled.</p><p>Lexa cleared her throat and moved her hand. “Lindsey this is Clarke.”</p><p>Clarke gave a tight-lipped smile and a halfhearted wave. No use in getting friendly with a girl who may hate her due to jealousy within the next ten minutes.</p><p>“Hi, Clarke, nice to meet you,” she politely greeted.</p><p>“My girlfriend,” Lexa continued. Lindsey’s mouth dropped, and Clarke couldn’t help being a bit amused.</p><p>“The pleasure is all mine,” she said with a real smile this time. Lexa narrowed her eyes at her.</p><p>“Are you fucking serious?”</p><p>“Lindsey,” Lexa started cautiously, already working to do damage control. She didn’t want the girl blowing up and causing a scene. Run ins with pass flings happening anywhere near her current girlfriend was already mortifying enough. What she didn’t expect was for Lindsey to start laughing. “What the hell?” She wondered aloud, unsure.</p><p>“You? Lexa Woods? With a girlfriend?!” She calmed for a second then burst right back out in tears of humor. “You’re shitting me, right?”</p><p>Clarke knew that Lexa didn’t enjoy her budding in when her past came to bite her, but she felt that she needed to. This bitch was being rude.</p><p>“What the fuck is your problem?” She began angrily. She felt Lexa start rubbing calming circles with her thumb on her hip. It was helping. Sort of.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she said not looking sorry at all and wiping away her tears. “Do you love her?”</p><p>“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes I do.”</p><p>Lindsey’s face contorted as she struggled to hold her laughter. “I bet you can’t name one thing you love about her that doesn’t involve her looks or money. Wait, wait. Do you think she loves you?”</p><p>“That’s enough. You need to leave,” Lexa growled low in her no-nonsense tone.</p><p>“Lexa is a fucking rolling stone. She doesn’t love anyone and her heart is so cold, nobody could love her back,” she continued, ignoring Lexa completely.</p><p>Lexa, not one to be ignored, stood up and made her acknowledge her. “Good fucking bye Lindsey.” Lindsey turned to her and started speaking. All the humor was gone from her frame.</p><p>“I fell in love with you. Did you know that, Lexa?” Lexa paused. It was clear by the expression on her face that she didn’t know that. “Yeah I knew you didn’t because I heard about how you are. When girls catch feelings you bail. So I didn’t say anything, and I’m pretty good at hiding my feelings.”</p><p>Lexa opened her mouth to reply but fell short. She didn’t have anything to say because it was true. She did do that stuff in the past. Clarke so badly wanted to comfort her, but she knew that this was something Lexa had to do on her own. So she just sat back and listened. Before Lexa could even come up with an adequate response, Lindsey continued.</p><p>“I know that you were hurting. It was so obvious because we were friends before you and that bitch that broke you ended. But I used that opportunity to get what I wanted. It’s kind of fucked up, isn’t it? So you’re really not the only one to blame for the bullshit that went down between us.”</p><p>“I’m sorry that you fell in love with that version of me.”</p><p>“Me too,” she smiled. It was clearly a fake smile. “I’m over it now though. Just don’t lead anyone else on, okay?”</p><p>“Yeah. That’s not who I am. Not anymore.”</p><p>“Good. Do you love her?”</p><p>“With all my heart,” she answered without hesitation and much conviction. Clarke smiled to herself. She didn’t necessarily like the fact that this girl took it upon herself to clown their relationship then check Lexa about her previous life choices but hearing Lexa say that she loved her always made her light up. No matter what.</p><p>She was so lost in her own musings that she completely missed the end of their conversation. She looked up and Lexa was standing up holding her hand out for her to take. She could feel the tension.</p><p>
  <em>‘What the fuck did I miss?’</em>
</p><p>The walk back to the car was silent. She handed Lexa her keys so she could drive while she finished her ice cream. She kissed her girlfriend’s cheek in thanks for opening the door for her and climbed in. She waited until the car was moving before she asked.</p><p>“Are you okay, Lex?”</p><p>“Fine. Just embarrassed.”</p><p>Clarke frowned. “Embarrassed. Why?”</p><p>Lexa sighed. “Having run in with past flings is not how I want to spend time with you. This is the third time.”</p><p>“Lex...”</p><p>“I just wish I would have dealt with my feelings in a healthier manner.”</p><p>“Listen to me,” Clarke began. She could tell this issue was affecting Lexa because, though it had only happened three times, each time after a run in, Lexa would get broody. This was actually the first time she admitted that something was wrong. “I know you, okay? I know your heart and I love that. Yes, these run ins aren’t fun, but I can deal with them because at the end of the day it doesn’t matter, not to me. I love you and you love me. There’s nothing else to it. Okay? Besides, who am I to slut shame you for having an active sex life? Who’s business is it besides yours? There’s a stigma for women who sleep around, but if a guy does it, it’s completely fine. Hell, people encourage it. That’s bullshit. Why shouldn’t females be able to have a healthy sexual appetite as well? Why is it not allowed for us t-… Okay, a little off topic,” Clarke chuckled to herself with a headshake, “Mini rant aside, Lexa, I love you. I don’t care about any of that, okay?”</p><p>Lexa nodded stiffly but remained silent. Clarke decided not to push for now and ate her ice cream in silence while throwing worried glances to her left ever so often. After a while, she saw Lexa take a calming breath and nod to herself. It appeared that she got herself out of her own head. She seemed calm now, but it was still hard to tell sometimes what she was really thinking.</p><p>Within twenty minutes, they arrived at Clarke’s house, and, in all that time, Lexa hadn’t said a thing, not really. She just hummed noncommittedly when Clarke tried to start a conversation before the girl decided to give her more space.</p><p>Clarke unlocked the door and held it open for Lexa, who had still been uncharacteristically quiet. She was a quiet person by nature, but not typically this quiet. Especially not around Clarke. They walked up the stairs to Clarke’s room in silence. Her worries melted away when she heard her girlfriend’s playful tone.</p><p>“Soooo,” Lexa started when they got inside. “Lindsey was pretty sure you couldn’t name one thing that you love about me.”</p><p>Clarke grunted and rolled her eyes. She flopped down on the bed in a sitting position.</p><p>“What do you love about me?” Lexa teased from where she stood before the bed.</p><p>Clarke chuckled and tugged Lexa’s hand to indicate that she wanted her to down to sit next to her. Lexa complied and sat. “Well that’s easy.”</p><p>“So she says while she avoids the question,” Lexa joked with a playful gleam in her eye. Clarke took a moment to study her girlfriend. She could tell that the run in with Lindsey didn’t really affect their relationship.</p><p>She was glad she decided not to push. Sometimes Lexa just needed to work through things in her own head and Clarke understood that. Now Lexa seemed relaxed and unbothered and not at all tense like she was at the start of their journey to her home. So she relaxed. She placed a gentle kiss on her lips.</p><p>“Because it is. But there’s so many things that I love about you. But I think the thing about you that I fell in love with is the fact that I know I can be myself around you. It’s freeing to not have to act a certain way. You’re literally my best friend, babe.”</p><p>Lexa smiled and wrapped her arm around Clarke. “And you’re mine.”</p><p>“You make me feel like I matter to you. I’m your focus, and you don’t have to tell me because I can tell by the way you treat me.”</p><p>Lexa smiled, content that Clarke could see how much she cared.</p><p>“When I have my off days... you’re on it. You always know what to say or what to do. I love that you notice when I get new perfume or different shampoo. And I love that you always tell me I’m beautiful even when I first wake up.”</p><p>“That’s because you are beautiful, especially when you first wake up. When you put your hair up and you have, like, sweats on- oh, and no make-up? That’s when you’re the prettiest to me. Not in a bad way, I just <em>really</em> like seeing you relaxed. You’re perfect, and that’s just my honest opinion,” she shot back smoothly.</p><p>Clarke rewarded her with another kiss then continued. “You’re a softy, babe.”</p><p>Lexa pouted. “No, I’m not. I just love you. A lot.”</p><p>“That’s so cute, but not really helping your case right now,” Clarke teased. Lexa just pouted some more. The blonde smiled wider and pecked her cheek. It was then that Clarke realized that she hadn’t put the movie in so she reached for the remote. She halted when she heard Lexa speak up, her tone soft and genuine.</p><p>“You know, I’ve never been good at trusting, but there’s something about you. And I’m in love with it, Clarke.”</p><p>Clarke could tell she wasn’t finished. And she honestly didn’t even know what to say. She decided to just let Lexa have the talking stick. When they made eye contact, Clarke gasped at the love and conviction she saw in green eyes.</p><p>Lexa took her hand in hers and held it her chest. Clarke could feel it pounding. “I’ve never felt like this before. We’ve been together a while now and you still get my heart racing. Just the sight of you. I smile when I think about you. I get butterflies and all that gay shit. Everything reminds me of you, and I love that we have that type of bond.”</p><p>She gently placed her lips against Clarke’s. She shifted her attention to her hands, which were still holding Clarke’s. “I love the way your hands fit so perfectly in mine. Like missing puzzle pieces finding a match. Like a key in a lock.”</p><p>Clarke smiled, and her cheeks heated up.</p><p>“Love,” she said as she was placing kisses on the back of her hand. “The,” another kiss. “Way you pay attention.”</p><p>Clarke’s smile held strong but looked a bit confused. “What do you mean?”</p><p>Lexa kissed her knuckles again then held both of Clarke’s hands firmly in hers. “I say that I’m fine, but you know when I’m lying. You read between all the lines. I love the way you pay attention. It’s like you just... know. I don’t have to say anything because you pay attention enough to be able to read me.”</p><p>“That’s just because I care about you. And I love you,” she replied a bit bashful.</p><p>“That’s some quality care right there,” Lexa smiled. Clarke smiled in return. “Damn, Clarke, I just… I love that you’re so patient. I have a hard time expressing myself sometimes, feelings wise. But you don’t push me too hard to talk. And that’s so awesome.”</p><p>Clarke was suddenly overrun by her emotions, and she couldn’t stop the tears from dripping down her cheeks. She just loved this girl so much.</p><p>“Now who’s the sap?” Lexa teased while wiping away the tears of joy. Clarke snorted, making Lexa laugh and kiss her cheek.</p><p>“Still you.”</p><p>“Whatever,” she waved her off with a smile. “I’m just expressing my love the best way I know how.”</p><p>“And that’s more than enough for me.”</p><p>It was quiet for a moment, and, in that silence, Lexa moved to cuddle into Clarke’s side. Clarke happily wrapped her arm around her and held her. They were just content to be near each other. Clarke got up and retrieved the remote from the other side of the room and turned on some random movie playing on HBO. She settled back down, this time next to Lexa but not touching her.</p><p>“Babe?”</p><p>Lexa hummed, turning her attention away from the movie to give it to the girl lying next to her. “Yes, Clarke?”</p><p>“This feels like a forever thing”</p><p>Lexa smiled. “Yeah. It really does. I can give you everything, including my pain and my struggles and you’d stick with me.”</p><p>“Always, babe.”</p><p>“You’re everything. My friend and my lover.”</p><p>“I’m glad. Because you’re mine too.”</p><p>“You know what Clarke?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“We’re going to have everything, you and me. Just wait.”</p><p>Clarke laughed with pure joy and leaned down to kiss the girl in her arms. “I believe that.”</p><p>After the kiss was over, Lexa blew out a breath, ready to be done talking about feelings. Things were getting a tad bit too emotional for her current tastes. Right now, she just wanted to chill with her girl, not cry. “So... you want some cuddles?”</p><p>“Do you really have to ask? Come here!” Clarke pounced on Lexa, who was left laughing at the absurdity of it all. When they got settled, Clarke couldn’t help but to kiss those plump kissable lips again.</p><p>“I love you.”</p><p>“I love you too,” Lexa smiled, absolutely content with life.</p><p>“I sure hope so, otherwise that would’ve been awkward.”</p><p>Lexa looked at Clarke, completely surprised by her response. Then she started cackling, and Clarke joined in. All was well and right in the world because they loved each other. And that's all that matters.</p>
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